Partizan cancel out Tottenham

• Partizan and Spurs share spoils in UEFA Europa League Group C opener
• Harry Kane rattles bar for Tottenham in second minute
• Hosts on top in first half before fading
• Tottenham improve after interval but cannot force winning goal
• Next games: Tottenham v Beşiktaş, Asteras v Partizan (2 October)

FK Partizan and Tottenham Hotspur played out an attritional goalless draw in their UEFA Europa League Group C opener.

Harry Kane fired against the frame of the goal early on, but the English side failed to trouble home goalkeeper Milan Lukač thereafter, while Hugo Lloris was called into action only sporadically to ensure Partizan did not prise the points.

The visitors made the brighter start and nearly hit the front in the second minute, when Kane rifled against the crossbar after Partizan had failed to deal with a Ben Davies corner. The hosts nonetheless grew into the game and fashioned the few remaining chances in the opening half.

Danko Lazović was central to most of the home side's best moments, first having a shot blocked when well placed on 15 minutes, then being denied by a last-ditch challenge from Jan Vertonghen following Vladimir Volkov's long throw, with Nabil Bentaleb clearing before Petar Grbić could fire in the rebound.

Saša Ilić threatened as well, volleying over on the half-hour, while Danilo Pantić swept an effort at Lloris on the counterattack as Marko Nikolić's men finished the first period in the ascendancy.

By the hour mark, Mauricio Pochettino had seen enough from his starting lineup and introduced Erik Lamela and Roberto Soldado to inject some creativity. The substitutions had the desired effect as Spurs soon established control, yet clear-cut opportunities remained limited. Indeed, that was true at both ends, Ilić heading over from a rare Partizan foray forward as the game petered out.